Choosing the right fabric opacity and color is one of the most important decisions when selecting top-down bottom-up (TDBU) cellular shades. These shades rely heavily on how light interacts with the material, making blackout, light-filtering, and sheer fabrics each uniquely impactful depending on the room, privacy needs, and orientation of your Austin home.
Blackout: Maximum Light Control for Bedrooms & Media Spaces
Blackout cellular fabrics block nearly all outdoor light, making them ideal for spaces that require full darkness or maximum privacy. In TDBU applications, blackout fabrics are especially effective because you can still let in natural light from above while keeping the lower portion completely darkened.
Best for:
• Bedrooms needing darker sleep environments
• Nursery nap schedules
• Media rooms
• East-facing rooms with harsh morning sun
Blackout shades also offer the strongest insulation—valuable for Texas summers when windows face south or west.
Light-Filtering: The Most Popular Choice for Everyday Living
Light-filtering fabrics gently diffuse sunlight, creating soft illumination without harsh glare. With TDBU functionality, light-filtering cellular shades allow the perfect balance of privacy and brightness—ideal for open living spaces.
Light-filtering is perfect for:
• Living rooms and kitchens
• Home offices where glare control matters
• Street-facing windows that need privacy during daytime
• Homes designed around natural light and open sightlines
They pair exceptionally well with the structural design of cellular shades, offering insulation and gentle lighting all day long.
Sheer: Soft Daylight & Minimalist Aesthetics
Sheer cellular fabrics allow the most natural light to pass through while still offering a hint of light diffusion. While they do not provide the same privacy level as light-filtering or blackout fabrics, in TDBU configurations they can still create a sense of separation when the bottom portion is fully raised.
Sheer fabrics work beautifully in:
• High windows or clerestory placements
• Minimalist design-forward homes
• Rooms where preserving daylight is the priority
• Paired applications with drapery for layered aesthetics
If privacy is also needed, homeowners often pair sheer TDBU shades with decorative drapery panels to achieve an elegant, flexible setup.
Why Austin homeowners love these options: In neighborhoods like Mueller, Circle C, and Zilker, where large modern windows are common, the ability to tailor light levels with the right opacity makes TDBU cellular shades a favorite. Light-filtering remains the top seller, but blackout dominates for bedrooms—and sheer is increasingly requested in minimalist new builds.
Service Areas
We proudly serve Austin, Dripping Springs, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Steiner Ranch, West Lake Hills, and surrounding Hill Country communities. Explore more projects and reviews on our Google Business Profile.
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“Our consultant helped us choose blackout for the bedrooms and light-filtering for the living room—everything feels perfectly balanced now.”
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